Holbrooks Community Association Safeguarding Policy and Procedures

Name of organisation: Holbrooks Community Association

Dedicated safeguarding lead is Rachel Lancaster and in their absence Raj Dhalliwell (Chair)

  Section heading Section content   1.    Introduction

  Holbrooks Community Association makes a positive contribution to a strong and safe community and recognises the right of every individual to stay safe.

Holbrooks Community Association comes into contact with children and vulnerable adults through the following activities:

·       Youth Services

·       Accredited youth clubs including Judo and dance

·       Crèche facilities

The types of contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will be frequent.

This policy seeks to ensure that Holbrooks Care Association undertakes its responsibilities with regard to protection of children and / or vulnerable adults and will respond to concerns appropriately. The policy establishes a framework to support paid and unpaid staff in their practices and clarifies the organisation’s expectations.

    2.    Confirmation of reading I confirm that I have been made fully aware of, and understand the contents of, the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures for Holbrooks Community Association.

   3.    Definitions Safeguarding is about embedding practices throughout the organisation to ensure the protection of children and / or vulnerable adults wherever possible. In contrast, child and adult protection is about responding to circumstances that arise.

Abuse is a selfish act of oppression and injustice, exploitation and manipulation of power by those in a position of authority. This can be caused by those inflicting harm or those who fail to act to prevent harm. Abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, gender or culture.

It can take a number of forms, including the following:

·       Physical abuse

·       Sexual abuse

·       Emotional abuse

·       Bullying

·       Neglect

·       Financial (or material) abuse

Definition of a child

A child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).

Definition of Vulnerable Adults

A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited.

This may include a person who:

·       Is elderly and frail

·       Has a mental illness including dementia

·       Has a physical or sensory disability

·       Has a learning disability

·       Has a severe physical illness

·       Is a substance misuser

·       Is homeless

    4.    Responsibilities All staff (paid or unpaid) have responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in this policy and related policies, and to pass on any welfare concerns using the required procedures.

We expect all staff (paid or unpaid) to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.

Additional specific responsibilities

Company Directors have responsibility to ensure that the policy is in place and appropriate.

Team Leaders have responsibility to ensure that the policy is implemented.

The Designated Senior Manager is Holbrooks Community Association. This person’s responsibilities are that:

• The policy is accessible
• The policy is monitored and reviewed
• Sufficient resources (time and money) are allocated to ensure that the policy can be effectively implemented
• Promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults
• Ensure staff (paid and unpaid) have access to appropriate training/information 
• Receive staff concerns about safeguarding and respond to all seriously, swiftly and appropriately
• Keep up to date with local arrangements for safeguarding and DBS
• Identify links with relevant agencies.
• Take forward concerns about responses

    5.    Implementation Stages The scope of this Safeguarding Policy is broad ranging and in practice, it will be implemented via a range of policies and procedures within the organisation. These include:

·       Whistleblowing –ability to inform on other staff/ practices within the organisation

·       Grievance and disciplinary procedures – to address breaches of procedures/ policies

·       Health and Safety policy, including lone working procedures, mitigating risk to staff and clients

·       Equal Opportunities policy– ensuring safeguarding procedures are in line with this policy, in particular around discriminatory abuse and ensuring that the safeguarding policy and procedures are not discriminatory

·       Data protection (how records are stored and access to those records)

·       Confidentiality (or limited confidentiality policy) ensuring that service users are aware of your duty to disclose

·       Staff induction

·       Staff training

Safe recruitment

Holbrooks Community Association ensures safe recruitment through the following processes:

·       Job or role descriptions for all roles involving contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will contain reference to safeguarding responsibilities.

·       Jobs will be offered on the basis that Holbrooks Care Association Senior Management is able to contact two references and a DBS check is requested.

DBS Gap Management

Holbrooks Community Association commits resources to providing DBS checks on staff (paid or unpaid) whose roles involve contact with children and /or vulnerable adults.

In order to avoid DBS gaps, we will:

·       Implement a 3 year rolling programme of re-checking that DBS is in place for holders of all identified posts.

·       Existing staff (paid or unpaid) who transfer from a role which does not require a DBS check to one which involves contact with children / vulnerable adults will be subject to a DBS check.

    6.    Communicationstraining and support for staff Holbrooks Community Association commits resources for induction, training of staff (paid and unpaid), effective communications and support mechanisms in relation to Safeguarding.

Induction will include:

·       Discussion of the Safeguarding Policy (and confirmation of understanding)

·       Discussion of other relevant policies

·       Ensure familiarity with reporting processes, the roles of line manager and Designated Senior Manager (and who acts in their absence)

·       Initial training on safeguarding including: safe working practices, safe recruitment, understanding child protection and the alerter guide for adult safeguarding 

Training

All staff who, through their role, are in contact with children and /or vulnerable adults will have access to safeguarding training at an appropriate level.

Communications and discussion of safeguarding issues

Commitment to the following communication methods will ensure effective communication of safeguarding issues and practice:

·       team meetings

·       SMT meetings

·       Board meetings

·       One to one meetings (formal or informal),

    7.    Professional boundaries Professional boundaries are what define the limits of a relationship between a member of staff and a client. They are a set of standards we agree to uphold that ensures the correct detachment is kept in place.

Holbrooks Community Association expects staff to protect the professional integrity of themselves and the organisation.

The following professional boundaries must be adhered to:

Giving and receiving gifts from clients:

·       Holbrooks Community Association does not allow paid or unpaid staff to give gifts to or receive gifts from clients. However gifts may be provided by the organisation as part of a planned activity.

Staff contact with user groups:

·       A personal relationship between members of staff (paid or unpaid) or a customer/client who is a current service user is prohibited.

Holbrooks Community Association does not allow:

·       Use of abusive language

·       Use of punishment or chastisement

·       Passing on staff members (paid or unpaid) or service users’ personal contact details

·       Taking family members to a client’s home

·       Selling to or buying items from a service user

·       Accepting responsibility for any valuables on behalf of a client

·       Accepting money as a gift/ borrowing money from or lending money to service users

·       Personal relationships with a third party related to or known to service users

If the professional boundaries and/or policies are breached this could result in disciplinary procedures.   8.    Reporting The process outlined below details the stages involved in raising and reporting safeguarding concerns at Holbrooks Community Association:

Insert process

Communicate your concerns with your immediate manager

Seek medical attention for the vulnerable person if needed

Senior Manager to take the appropriate action

    9.    Monitoring The organisation will monitor the following Safeguarding aspects:

·       Safe recruitment practices

·       DBS checks undertaken

·       References applied for new staff

·       Records made and kept of supervision sessions

·       Training – register/ record of staff training on child/ vulnerable adult protection

·       Monitoring whether concerns are being reported and actioned

·       Checking that policies are up to date and relevant

·       Reviewing the current reporting procedure in place

·       Presence and action of Designated senior manager responsible for Safeguarding is in post

    10. Managing information Information will be gathered, recorded and stored in accordance with the following policies:

Data Security Policy

All staff must be aware that they cannot promise service users or their families/ carers that they will keep secrets.

    11. Communicating and reviewing the policy Holbrooks Community Association will make staff aware of the Safeguarding Policy through induction, training and ensuring the policy is available.

This policy will be reviewed by Holbrooks Community Association and the Board of Directors every 12 months and when there are changes in legislation.